jeff bezos became the newest member of the billionaire newspaper owner's club when he scooped up the "washington post" for a cool quarter billion dollars. he joins a growing list which includes among others . . . and so who cares? newspapers are dying anyway, right? not so fast, a 2009 report showed that not only do 75% of adults still read newspapers, but local and online news overwhelmingly originates from traditional papers like the "washington post." so most americans newspaper still originates there. the idea that newspapers have been marginalized and replaced by the internet is a total fallacy. they have the kind of power that charles foster cane dreamed of. >> people will think -- >> what i tell them to think. >> david: and alex wrote today . . . jeff bezos is a man who can afford that kind of influence. the purchase price of a quarter billion dollars is less than 1% of his $28 billion net worth. so is he just bored, a rich guy buying a new toy? his company is definitely politically engaged. under his leadership, amazon has vigorously opposed anti-just legislation. they have also lobbies